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Q: I'm doing a whole-house remodel on an old home. It's the height of the gardening season, and the owners - knowing that many layers of lead-based paint had been scraped off the house over the years - asked me what I thought about planting tomatoes in th

Q: I received the new JLC book "Tiling for Contractors," by Michael Byrne, and was dismayed to see that there is no section that addresses hot-mop shower pans, including framing, backing, and pan installation. Why not?

Q: I was wondering what should be done to old reclaimed barnwood before it can be used inside a home. I plan on using it for wainscot in a basement remodel; should it be treated to kill any bugs or mold?

Q: I have to build a framed chase for a gas fireplace's 6-inch vent pipe. What's the best way to finish the top of the chase? I had planned to use a metal cap, but I've noticed that a lot of these caps tend to be rusted.

Q: I've seen window glazing area recommendations for energy-efficient houses stated in two ways: as a percentage of conditioned square footage and as a percentage of exterior wall area. Which is most useful, and why?

Q: When building with structural insulated roof panels, how far is it safe to cantilever (or project) the ends of a panel past the top plates? I like the idea of creating a protective overhang for the siding and windows.

Q: A recent customer wanted to do his own painting and used an airless sprayer to apply primer to the bare drywall. He then rolled on the finish paint, but now he's complaining that the surface is rough wherever the drywall finisher sanded. He is blaming the drywall contractor, but I'm not sure...